HTC redesign makes an already good phone into a great Phone! April 12, 2012

Reviewer:  NH3MAN  (Georgia, USA) -

The HTC TITAN was a very good smart phone. I could quibble about a couple of things but it was a unique well thought out design. Well HTC went back to the drawing board and redesigned it for the TITAN II and it made (IMHO) it into the best Windows Phone yet if not the best phone period. Now, let me just state that to start off with that I believe the new Windows phone is the most elegant, user friendly, operating system with its unique operator interface and the fact that its not more well known is simply that the Apple and Android fan boys do all they can to talk it down.
Now, as far as this phone, it has the best camera I have ever used on a phone and better than most point and shoots as well. It is 16 mp wide angle, fast lens, and comes with boatloads of options. It takes low light shots like a DSLR. Nuff said. The design of the T-II buttons and the overall feel has been improved so even though it is a large 4.7 screen (which is a beautiful, bright, natural looking, LCD+) it is easily handled, even one handed. The phone screen is unique in that the glass curves out at the bottom allowing better access to the capacitance buttons which have also been moved closer together. The overall look has been improved so that its even more classy looking and the back, which still looks like its metallic is now curved and a textured material that allows a great grip. If you can't tell, I love, love this phone. Oh, and did I mention its LTE 4G which means that it is faster than your broadband at home. Try 20-22 mbps vs 3 mbps I would get on my TITAN 3G+

love this phone May 4, 2012

Reviewer:  CMC "CMC"  (Davis, CA) -

i work as an iPhone & Android developer so I was interested in checking out Windows Phone to see about bringing my company's app to the platform. I put down my iPhone and picked up this guy. I am absolutely IN LOVE with this phone. I think my coworkers are going to shoot me if I don't stop talking about how awesome it is. When I pick up an iPhone to do development on it just seems so slow and ancient... Windows Phone is an amazing OS and the Titan II is a fantastic piece of hardware. I have an iPad 3 ("new iPad") and a Android as well but hardly ever use them outside the office... the screen on the Titan II is huge and does every thing I need. The phone is arguably faster than the new iPad.

I've played around with the Lumia 900 (the other "state-of-the-art" LTE Windows Phone) so here's my opinion on how they stack up. The camera on the Titan 2 is 16 Megapixel vs 8 on the Lumia, and the colors seem a lot better on the Titan. However, the Lumia seems to be better at getting more of the picture in focus. The Lumia is a little thicker and heavier with a smaller screen and slightly slower processor but the design of that device is stunning. The screen on the Lumia is really amazing, though -- blacks are pitch black and colors are unbelievably colorful. The Lumia comes with some really cool apps like Nokia Drive (turn-by-turn directions). Both of these are solid phones, however, and I'm happy I picked the Titan II.

Grab either one of these and you will be in smartphone heaven...

HTC Titan II is a solid smartphone that will complement the new Windows 8 OS for PC and Slate... June 6, 2012

Reviewer:  freeismylife  (Detroit) -

A few weeks ago, I attended a technology presentation at my job where I saw a demo of the new Windows 8 operating system that will be available on both Windows PC's and Windows slate tablets. Instead of using the traditional screen icons, the new Windows 8 OS interface uses color coordinated tiles that are suppose to make it easier for users to navigate to information.

If you have used one of the new Windows smartphones, then the tile interface used in the Windows 8 OS will look very familiar. Windows smartphones run the Windows Phone 7.5 operating system that uses the same tile interface that you will see on future Windows PC's.

I have been reviewing the HTC Titan II Windows Smartphone for the past few weeks and trying out the tile interface for myself. Since I am more familiar with demoing HTC Android smartphones with the HTC Sense interface, I have had a few challenges in using the HTC Titan II with the Windows Phone 7.5 interface. But overall, the HTC Titan II is a solid monster of a smartphone that Microsoft Windows users will like.

The Size is Enormous!!!
I own a HTC Thunderbolt smartphone that I affectionately call "The Beast" due to the huge 4.3" screen. Well, the HTC Titan II makes the HTC Thunderbolt look like a "pee wee" due to it's 4.7" screen. When I took the Titan II out of the box, I could not believe the enormous size of this smartphone. If you have poor eyesight like I do, then you will love big screen smartphones like the HTC Titan II. Watching Netflix and Hulu video on this phone is a real pleasure. All you need is some popcorn to feel like you're at the movies :)

Internet Sharing for up to 5 devices
I love when a smartphone can also be a mifi hotspot and the HTC Titan II can be used for Internet sharing for up to 5 devices. I was able to use the HTC Titan II to give Internet access to my HTC Evo View Tablet so I could do some work while waiting for my son to finish Karate class and I found the 4G service on ATT to be fairly fast. There is no need to spend extra money buying a separate hotspot device if you own a smartphone like the HTC Titan II.

The Interface - loved parts of it
The Windows 7.5 phone interface on the HTC Titan II was a hit and miss for me. Using the tiles is easy and you can pin and unpin tiles as you want so that the start screen has the information that you use the most. But my eyes had a hard time adjusting the the white lettering on the dark black background that is used when you click on tiles like the calendar, settings, and marketplace.

The calendar is very hard to read because the meetings show up in red lettering on a dark black background. Even using Google Mail was hard because the interface uses small black lettering on a stark white background. And though I was able to enlarge the text to better read the mail, the screen does not auto adjust so I had to scroll from side to side to read the entire message. Microsoft needs to makes some changes going forward in terms of colors and style to make the interface text more readable for the average user.

More Apps Please!!!
The Windows Phone 7 Marketplace has a decent amount of apps, but some of my favorite were missing. I use both Windows Skydrive and Dropbox for sharing of my information and photos with other devices. Skydrive is in the Windows Phone 7.5 Marketplace but there is no Dropbox app which for me is an issue. While Dropbox may be viewed as a competitor to Skydrive, I think Microsoft should have all apps in the Marketplace. Customers should be able to choose a smartphone based purely on functionally not on app availability.

A+ on training
After I setup my mail accounts on the phone, I received a series of emails with instructions on how to use the phone. Apple also does email training like this when you register an Apple product so Microsoft gets and A+ in my book for utilizing email for training.

The first email contained information on personalizing and how to import contacts. I received the second email three days after the first and this email contains instructions on how to use the marketplace, how to sync music with Zune, and how to take and share photos.

Speaking of photos, the HTC Titan II has a 16mp camera with flash for taking low-light photos and it does HD 720p video. There is also a 1.3mp front-facing camera that takes 720p video.

Overall, I found the Titan II to be another well made HTC smartphone. The massive screen is very appealing for movie watching and the hotspot capability will save the user from spending additional money on a hotspot device. But the interface is only "so so" for me and the marketplace lacks some of my favorite apps. But for the user who loves everything Microsoft, the HTC Titan II makes for a solid smartphone to complement the upcoming roll-out of Windows 8 OS for PC and Slate.

Disclosure: I was loaned an HTC Titan II for review by HTC. All opinions are my own.

Amazing Phone April 19, 2012

Reviewer:  Arsh 

Since Nokia Lumia 900 came out I was dying to get hold of it, one of my friend bought it and it is impressive, I happen to get HTC Titan II as a gift and I can tell you it is a thing of beauty. I love what HTC has done, from the build quality to camera to the size of the Phone. Its one amazing phone. I know Lumia 900 is the talk of the town but this phone is out there with Lumia 900, Infact in many cases it is even better than Lumia specially the gorgeous 4.7 inch screen. I love the build quality of the phone. Good job HTC

Titan 2 Review May 3, 2012

Reviewer:  Tamik 

It's a great phone, I had the Titan 1 and it was great too. This one is better in a way. Not much has changed though, the camera has better quality when taking pictures and videos, and the battery lasts a bit longer. That's about it if you are comparing it to the Titan 1. The specs are as listed in the phone. I would recommend this phone it's screen is amazing and the best. Probably the best windows phone on the market great processor too.

Another great Windows Phone! April 16, 2012

Reviewer:  Justin VanHalbert 

As mentioned by the other reviews you will find around the net, this is another flagship Windows Phone. It's closest rival, the Nokia Lumia 900, is also an excellent choice, but this phone has a leg up in the camera department. Most of the professional reviews have noted that the 16MP camera in this phone is excellent and I couldn't agree more. If you are looking for an excellent phone that is also an excellent camera, this is the one for you. If you don't care too much about taking pictures, you have a much tougher choice as I would suggest comparing this phone to the Nokia Lumia 900.

Goodbye android, goodbye iphone...... May 24, 2012

Reviewer:  Douglas Charette 

Having owned every iphone up until the 4g, and two android phones since(I once even tried a blackberry for a day). I found a phone that blows me away. It's has a good design, although a little on the heavy side compared to most phones. Maybe the screen is not as sharp as some other phones either, but still in the same league. Also lacks a hdmi out port. That aside the phone is amazing. For a phone that has but one core it will smoke most if not all other phones. It doesn't lag, or freeze. Not once have I found myself banging the home button to try to and get the phone to respond. Not once have I had to remove the battery cause said banging on the home button failed also. It is quick to respond, easy to operate. The sound quality is excellent. Pictures and videos taken are as good if not better than the iphone. And unlike the iphone and android phones the live tiles are a welcome change compared to app buttons that just sit there on a grid. Overall, the best phone I have ever owned. Kudos to both htc and windows....

Love the phone May 12, 2012

Reviewer:  A reader 

I got this phone about two weeks ago and I love it. This is my first Windows Phone. I find the user interface to be very esthetically appealing and smooth. Typography is important to me and I love the font used by Windows and the unified appearance of the different OS functions, even extending to the design of the apps.

The phone itself seems solidly built. Call quality is great. I love the BIG screen, because one thing I use my phone a lot for is reading. I had originally planned to get a Nokia Lumia, but there was a bit too much drama going on with that phone and so I got the Titan II instead, and I'm glad I did.

It does what it's supposed to do June 13, 2012

Reviewer:  Tiffany 

I swapped out my old iPhone 3G (I was using a 3GS at the time) for this phone about 2 months ago. I like how the phone feels in my hand. I'm not afraid of it dropping and breaking or scratching the back. It is huge compared to my iPhone so that was getting used to, but once I started using it, an iPhone is very small and I can no longer use it very well. The larger screen is a lot nicer for web browsing, watching videos, playing games. I recently obtained the Kindle Fire so I haven't been using my phone very much anymore though.

There's a few of the popular apps but not very much compared to either the Google Play store and Apple store. They have their own version of Scramble that's connected to all the other Windows phone users. I don't remember if I tried to search for a game similar to Words with Friends. They do not have some banking apps, but you can just go to the mobile site instead.

Listening to music on this is quite nice. It's very loud, or at least seemed louder than my iPhones when turned up all the way without headphones. When I got the phone, I bought a starter set with it which came with a year subscription to Zune. It's pretty cool, you get 10 (permanent) song downloads a month and as many non-permanent song downloads for you to listen to on your phone until your subscription is over. One thing I don't like about Zune or this phone is that you can't make music playlists unless you are using your computer and syncing it. Unless there is away and I have not discovered it yet. HD videos look super clear on this phone. I haven't tried Netflix on this yet, nor do I plan to now since I do have my Fire.

There is a dedicated camera button which is nice. I can just turn my phone sideways when it is on the lock screen and hold down the button to turn on my camera. Pictures are pretty clear, it is a 16mp camera. The pictures, if you want, can automatically be uploaded onto it's own cloud type feature called SkyDrive. I think starts off with 5GB, but some users were able to get 25GB, maybe. I don't use very much space. Both of my previous iPhones were only 8GB, this comes with 16GB. It has no microSD slot, doesn't bother me, I don't need it.

I do like how you can sync your contacts with your windows live account. I ended up making a new email specifically for this phone.

One of the things that really bothered me about this phone, it might be an HTC thing, or something else, is that there's no forward button in the explorer they provide. Sometimes I accidentally click back, and want to go forward to my previous page, which I can't do unlike the iPhone. The home screen is only one screen that you can scroll up and down on. Its as many or as few tiles as you'd like. I wish I could have more than one, so I could put contacts on one screen, and favorite apps or something on another screen.

Another big problem I have with this phone is that during a call, my face will randomly mute myself, or put the person on hold even when I click the top button to lock the screen. My friends who have the HTC Rezound also have this issue, so maybe HTC phones are just super sensitive. I don't remember having that problem with my iPhones, although the 4 and 4S might be just as sensitive as this phone.

For text messaging, you can not disable message preview at top. This gets very annoying, especially if you have forward messaging from AIM or a different chat program. If someone spams you, and you open up their messages, it continues to message preview until all the messages are shown up until the point that you opened the message. You also can't even disable what is previewed. What I mean by this is that, it always shows the first part of the message instead of 1 New Message or something like that. So you can't really have private messages if you are near someone.

I don't think there are speed dials, or I mean, you can't just make a tile to call someone. The tiles for users goes to their profile of them, and you can choose to call them from there.

I like how quickly the data connects or disconnects with this phone. On my 3GS, if I disabled it or enabled it, it always took a while to be actually get connected or disconnected, and the service would go to 0 bars. I don't have a problem with that on this phone.

I do have a problem sometimes with Yelp or some other apps trying to figure out where my current location is. Or if I try to type in a specific location on Yelp it does not work for me sometimes. I like the maps app. I think it reads you directions as you go but it's kind of annoying so I disable it. One thing I don't like is that when you're trying to just look at the list of directions, they don't really let you see it as a whole. You have to scroll through it, and each time you scroll to the next part or previous part, it zooms(?) to that part on the map.

So to recap: I do like the size, sound, camera, screen. I don't like that it isn't very user-friendly? You can't really customize it the way you want it to, especially with the settings such as the text messaging.

So you should get this phone if you actually plan on using it as a phone/web browser and email things. I mean, it does its job. I can text, call people, take pictures, listen to music.

Don't buy this phone if you mainly want to use it for games. Their marketplace isn't very large yet compared to its competitors but the size of the screen is nice for the games it does have.

I probably won't purchase another Windows Phone after this one, unless it becomes heavily updated/upgraded. I don't know if I will go back to the iPhone either since the screen is just so small after using this phone.

Love it! May 25, 2012

Reviewer:  Loli  (Seattle) -

This is my first windows phone, and I really love it. Great pictures. I was concerned about reviews of lower res, but I loved the display, the resolution is wonderful, and its bigger than my previous android phone so I can actually read Kindle books on it. The battery life is much better than my previous phone (I do turn off the cell data cause my plan doesn't have data, so I am all wifi). The volume is also louder. I am still getting used to the size in my hands. I love this phone! I considered the Lumia 900, but a big draw is the camera, and I am not so crazy about the look of the 900 as others.

Good windows phone April 18, 2012

Reviewer:  Madison 

Got this phone from Microsoft for free a weeks ago, and loving it so far. No it is not as nice looking as the Nokia 900, but it is not bad looking either. Contrary to popular belief, windows phones' app market is not weak by any means. One can find most useful app counterparts from android, iOS etc.
The phone's signal reception is good. Screen looks great, and the phone is very responsive with no lag.
The price at 200$ is a bit steep, but you do get what you paid for with one of the best cameras on a smart phone.

No transit maps, poor performance September 21, 2012

Reviewer:  gksf  (San Francisco) -

Public transit route finder was a must have for my phone purchase. Three months after I bought HTC Titan II, the public transit function of the map app was discontinued. Went back to ATT store, they confirm there is no public transit route finder app for this phone. Best you can do in SF is next bus, which doesn't help if you don't know how to get there.

ATT Visual voice mail is hit and miss. Sometimes a new message indicator shows on the home page, other times not. Sometimes the phone just doesn't ring for an incoming call.

Email needs to sync twice - usually nothing happens on first attempt except to say that the phone was synced 2 seconds ago.

Can't check in on Yelp. Other apps similarly disappointing.

You won't get much help from ATT salespeople. They are unfamiliar with verbal speed dial, spreadsheets, transit functions, international keyboards, and other smart phone features. When I demonstrate malfunction right in the store, they just look blank.

HTC Titan Ii is a nice screen with office documents, but it is not a good mobile phone.

I already used up my free trade in on the bug-ridden Lumia 900 that crashed it's first weekend out, leaving me stranded.

I'm going back to iPhone because I need the Chinese character input functions not available on android phones.

Great October 26, 2012

Reviewer:  marcusj3000  (shreveport, louisiana United States) -

Pretty good phone that has an OS that doesn't give a lot of problems. It doesn't take long to learn Windows Phone OS at is really simple. Most complain about apps but really how many do people use.....the answer only a few at a time. WP7 has all the major apps and not a lot of the mind numbing dribble that is over 85% of the other app stores. The phone is big but has a great screen, 16mp camera, front facing cam, and you don't need apps for a number of things that integrated into the OS. It looses one star because HTC sucks badly in keeping there phone updated and supporting their phones. It doesn't matter whether is android or WP7 HTC sucks at support. If you want a better phone go to Nokia for WP7 or Samsung.

Good option for a WP 7. September 5, 2012

Reviewer:  Snowgator 

My Wife owned an original Titan, and after many problems and exchanges we got the Titan 2. I am very relieved to say it is a good device. The call quality is very good, one of the worst parts of the original. HTC not only fixed it, it may be a little better than my Samsung Focus S (also a Windows Phone 7). The camera performance is very good- but the shutter speed is annoying slow. She has missed several shots waiting on it. But there are so many adjustments and controls she has had a pretty decent time playing around with it. She loves the photo quality. This device is large (living up to it's name) and that is something else she loves about it. The screen is a nice balance of color and detail. The large screen actually helps in this regard, as you do not need to "pinch-to-zoom" so much that the pixels become a distraction. It plays videos well (no Adobe Flash player, be warned) and is a decent though not outstanding music player. It is a seamless experience, loading websites, apps, and tools quickly and uniformly. It is a breeze to learn, and you can pin any app, web site, or tool to your front page as a tile and remove whatever is annoying to you. For those who live in a major urban setting, it offers AT&T's LTE signal which is lightning fast. If not, you will enjoy the very good upload/download speeds of their 4G HPSA+ signal. It is a little pricey, and the Nokia 900 is quite a bit cheaper and an outstanding option if camera performance and screen size is not as important to you. The Samsung Focus S is another great WP device, though without LTE and again a little lacking in the camera results.

Overall, I can say I am a little down on HTC due to our bad experience with the first Titan, but they really seemed to have gotten it together for the Titan 2. This is a solid, fun, and amazingly smooth device. We love the Windows Phone experience.

Great phone with good performance September 3, 2012

Reviewer:  Chao Yang 

I got this phone more than 4 months ago when it was just released. I really enjoy using it.

Pros:
For all the basic functions such as making calls, browsing internet and emails and sending emails, no problem was found. The camera works very well and makes beautiful pictures. You can easily upload or download pictures and music from your computer using the software Zune, but without converting any formats. The Office software also works well, though it does not work as good as a real computer. My pictures uploaded years ago on Windows Live space was automatically shown in my albums this makes me very happy.

Cons:
1. I could not make phone calls using a earphone (The earphone works well for other HTC phones). I could hear from the earphone but the microphone does not work. This might be due to the connection problem in the plug in site. I called att and they are sending me a new one and hopefully this will be resolved.
2. This phone is heavy compared to other Windows phones such as Samsung Focus S. But it is OK for guys.
3. Much less apps than Android and iPhones.

EXCELLENT!! April 27, 2012

Reviewer:  Movie Fan 

This is my first Windows phone and I LOVE IT!!! I decided to try Windows(The Titan 2) due to the fact that I have grown tired of Android. I had been an Android user for over 3 years and I just became bored with it. The slowness of the upgrades and all of the bloatware issues. Windows 7 is VERY refreshing to say the least. I decided on the Titan 2 after reading all of the positive reviews on the Titan 1. I bought the Titan 2 over the Titan 1 due to the fact that it's TRUE 4GLTE the new design, and the 16mp camera. There are some people who are trying to say that Window 7 phones are not going to make it. But I say to them....Windows is backed by Bill Gates and Microsoft. It's not going anywhere anytime soon.

This phone is VERY fast! It's actually faster then an Android phone with a Dual core processor....and the Titan 2 has a SINGLE CORE processor. My old phone was a Motorola Photon. This phone(Titan-2) is much faster, better build quality, call quality, and camera. There have been "haters" saying that they won't buy a Windows phone due to the lack of apps. What I say to that is...right now Windows 7 phone are not even 3 yrs old and they have over 70,000 apps. How much do you need? All of the apps that I used when I had my Android phone...I have on my Windows 7 phone. Therefore, I'm not missing out on anything. Plus Microsoft is like Apple in terms of their applications....they actually manage them and have better control while not allowing anyone to post apps on the system. This is what is ruining Android. It's an open market. One that has gotten out of control(in my opinion) and is not managed very well.

Even Google is trying to pull away from Android...which is why they are slowly coming out with their "pure" Google phones. The same thing people are saying about Windows as not going to make it...said the very same thing about Android when it first hit the market. Now look how it has grown. One thing to keep in mind for the "haters" of Windows phones is that when Android was this early on the market....it didn't nearly have the apps that Windows now have. Everyone I know who switched from Apple or Android to Windows NEVER regretted it nor did they go back.With the release of the new Titan2 and the Lumia 900.....Windows is going to SOAR!

I really love my phone and do not miss the Android phone at all. Give Windows a try and I can assure you that you will be saying some of the same things that I'm saying now. Don't pay attention to the articles posted on the internet. You be the judge. Try one for yourself.

Camera and design poor, fragile October 20, 2012

Reviewer:  justride 

I do like the windows operating system but
i don't like the phone itself.
I have 3 issues with this phone.

The camera no good, always have to retake pictures because they come out blurry.

Poor engineering design of the back cover.
It always has to stay in contact with the phone if not it shuts off.
This becomes a problem when the back cover starts getting a little loose.
The phone starts to shut down at random times.

But My biggest complain its fragile.
I understand Smartphones are not made out of steel, but accidents happen.
I drop my phone from like 2 feet from the ground and the screen crack.
Not buying HTC again.

Known incompatability with Cisco / Linksys home router settings April 24, 2012

Reviewer:  just another customer  (San Francisco, CA) -

I loved the phone and also loved Windows Phone 7.5 OS until I learned the hard way that it won't work with my home router settings. Six hundred dollars flushed down the toilet. The phone is unable to connect to WiFi with a hidden router name (SSID).

This is an issue known by HTC and that Microsoft says requires an update that does not exist:

"This feature (secure WiFi) might not work on your phone without a software update from your phone manufacturer."

HTC does not make available an update for this problem.

HTC warranty is bad, limited and not useful. DO NOT BUY HTC phone! August 7, 2012

Reviewer:  Not_Computer_Dummy "XD"  (CA, USA) -

I have 2 HTC phones, brand new, from authorized store. This 2 phones I got it separate time. However, I didn't open or test it until 2 months later. They were sitting on my shelf, nice and cool area. Trusting HTC has high quality phone, and shouldn't have problem. out of 15 years of cell phone use, I have never expires Dead on Arrival cell phone.

After 2 months, I need the phones. I can't turn BOTH of them on. Both of them are DOA (Dead on Arrival), I even took it to store to ask for exchange. They said that they can't do anything, because it is over 30 days. (okay.. I understand.. I have to turn to HTC.)

I called HTC. Guess what they said? You will only get 90 days of warranty after it repair. Wait.. doesn't the phone come with 1 year warranty? How does that shrink/shorten in 90 days after it gets repair ? I don't remember seeing that on the warrant policy that it would shorten the warranty because it needs to repair.

Where is to logic to that? Is it fair at all to consumer? Here, I urge everyone DO NOT BUY anymore HTC phones, unless to plan to have shorten warranty or plan to buy extended warranty from carriers.

Not bad, but no Lumia 900 April 27, 2012

Reviewer:  Porkfritter 

I have the Titan II and the wife got the Cyan Lumia 900. Build quality of the 900 is hands down better. The only thing that my Titan II does better is the REAR camera, which after adjusting the settings on the Lumia, is not THAT much better.

This would be a 4/5 or 5/5 phone but the BATTERY LIFE down right stinks when compared to the Lumia 900.

I will be returning for the Black Lumia 900.